Congressman Lou Barletta opposes emerging immigration plan

Former Hazleton mayor rejects U.S. Senate proposal as unwarranted 'amnesty.'

January 28, 2013|By Colby Itkowitz, Call Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, known for being tough on illegal immigrants, described the U.S. Senate's bipartisan efforts on immigration reform as "amnesty."

Barletta gained a national profile for implementing strict illegal immigration laws as mayor of Hazleton in 2006. But as a congressman just over two years, Barletta has introduced three immigration-related bills that have not been taken up.

Immigration reform is widely viewed as one major policy item Congress just might accomplish this year, and Barletta said he intends to voice his concerns loudly, especially given his new appointment to the Homeland Security Committee, which oversees such issues as border security.

"It's amnesty that America can't afford," Barletta said Monday. "We have to stop people from coming in illegally. This will be a green light for anyone who wants to come to America illegally and then be granted citizenship one day."

Barletta offered his disappointment as a high-profile group of bipartisan senators unveiled a comprehensive framework that includes creating a path to citizenship for the more than 11 million people living illegally in the United States.

The swift pivot to immigration is due largely to politics. President Barack Obama won 71 percent of the Hispanic vote in the 2012 election, according to exit polling. With the Hispanic population growing, Republicans are worried about their future electoral prospects if they don't narrow that gap.

"The Republican Party is losing the support of our Hispanic citizens," said U.S. Sen. John McCain, former presidential candidate during the news conference on the plan. "We cannot continue as a nation with 11 million residing in the shadows and we have to address the issue. And it has to be done in a bipartisan fashion."

But Barletta, who represents the 11th District, which includes parts of Monroe and Carbon counties, said politics should not be the driver because, in his view, Republicans won't win the Hispanic vote either way.

"I hope politics is not at the root of why we're rushing to pass a bill. Anyone who believes that they're going to win over the Latino vote is grossly mistaken," Barletta said. "The majority that are here illegally are low-skilled or may not even have a high school diploma. The Republican Party is not going to compete over who can give more social programs out. They will become Democrats because of the social programs they'll depend on."

Barletta listed statistics from a 2007 Heritage Foundation report that concluded granting all of the illegal immigrants in the United States citizenship would cost the government roughly $2.6 trillion because of the various programs they'd be on. The same report said 60 percent of illegal immigrants do not have high school diplomas.

But the Congressional Budget Office in the same year determined that it would cost the government much less — about $18 billion over a decade — when considering the added tax revenues paid by the newly legal workers.

It's for that reason that U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, a Democrat and the Lehigh Valley's new congressman, supports the emerging immigration effort.

"I think perhaps the most important thing we need to be doing is turning all of these undocumented workers into taxpayers,' said Cartwright, whose 17th District locally includes Easton and other parts of Northampton County. "I am excited about it. I'd love to bring new taxpayers online."

Coincidentally, Cartwright's uncle-in-law, James Munley, was the federal judge who ruled that the immigration ordinances signed by Barletta in Hazleton were unconstitutional, saying that immigration is a federal issue. Munley is a U.S. district judge.

Barletta's law would have made it illegal for businesses to hire and landlords to rent to illegal immigrants. It also made English the city's official language. The aim was to drive illegal immigrants out of Hazleton.

Rather than find citizenship for illegal immigrants, Barletta said, the effort should be in keeping them out of the country. He said they threaten national security and are an affront to immigrants legally in the United States.

Given his history with the issue, Barletta said he hoped like-minded lawmakers would work with him in opposition. But he insists he's also prepared to go it alone.

"I stood alone for a long time as a mayor when I couldn't find one elected official willing to come near me at the time." Barletta said. "[Either way] I'm going to speak up for those millions that want a sensible immigration bill that protects the American people and protects the worker and still welcomes immigrants into our country legally."